


We Are All Made of Stars

by kuzibah



Category: Firefly
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, Homophobic Language, Mental Instability, Referenced prostitution
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:20:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23693785
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kuzibah/pseuds/kuzibah
Summary: The crew of the Serenity carries cargo for mysterious clients to a distant world, but things are more than they seem.
Kudos: 9





	We Are All Made of Stars

**Author's Note:**

> This is another fic I'm transferring from my Livejournal. It was originally posted in 2005, after the series but before the film. Note: There is mention of a same-sex relationship (NOT between members of the “Serenity” crew) but it’s not explicit.

Captain Mal Reynolds stared into the black of the emptiness between the outer ring planets and their destination, Cecrops, a planet as far out as you could go and still be said to be within habitable space, and he started to understand why the reavers went mad in the way they did. Wash had told Mal that Serenity needed no tending this far out, wouldn’t need either of them to touch her controls for days, really, until they were within range of Cecrops. Wash, had, in fact, set Serenity on her course, straight as an arrow, engaged the friction locks, and dug out a lengthy novel he’d always intended to read.

The rest of the crew was dealing with the extended downtime in their own ways. Kaylee, River, and the Shepherd had been teaching one another card games. (Mal suspected River had a huge advantage, and was at the very least counting cards.) Inara was getting her business books in order and catching up with some clients she hadn’t contacted in awhile. Zoe had taken to doing maintenance and mending things that had been neglected a bit too long. Simon was obsessively reorganizing and inventorying the medical bay. And Jayne was spending most of his time asleep. Or in his bunk alone, at any rate.

But Mal could not distract himself with the usual diversions for long, and kept finding himself in the pilot chair staring into the unchanging expanse of darkness.

\- - - - -

They had been on Persephone three days, and had gotten no interest so far in a paying fare. Even Kaylee’s optimism was beginning to flag as they beat the bushes, trying to find someone, anyone, looking for a slightly less than reputable crew and a ship that was too insignificant to draw much attention. Mal watched, growing more and more discouraged, as ships around them came, took on jobs, and left again. He, Zoe, and Wash had carried chairs out onto the loading ramp to catch some sun, when at last they were approached by a woman dressed in fine clothes and jewelry.

“May I speak to the Captain of this ship?” she asked, and Mal stepped down the ramp.

“I’m Captain Reynolds,” he said. “What can I do for you?”

She gave him an appraising look. “I am acting as an agent for my employers,” she said. “My last duty to them before I am released from my indenture.”

“What’s the job?” Mal asked.

“Carrying cargo, three passengers, and a Javelin-class ship to the outer rings. Cecrops, to be exact.”

Mal looked back at Wash, who was frowning. “That’s pretty far,” Wash said.

“And a Javelin?” Mal said. “Is that what brought you here?” Javelins were tiny crafts, little more than flying coffins. They carried no more than a few hundred pounds, and one’s single passenger had to make the trip mostly in stasis. Travel in one was incredibly risky; it wasn’t uncommon for the passenger-pilot to not regain consciousness in time to land the craft, making the Javelin into a meteorite.

The woman nodded. “Yes. I arrived two days ago,” she said. “Once I arrange the transfer of cargo and hire on three more servants, I send it back.”

“You’re very dedicated to your duty,” Mal said. “Especially considering your former boss is two weeks out.”

“Be assured, I am being well paid for my loyalty,” the woman said.

Zoe had come down the ramp, now. “What’s the cargo?” she said.

The woman looked at her. “Nothing illegal, if that’s your concern. Livestock, medical supplies, agricultural product, and various sundries. I can show you invoices, if you like.”

“We’ll get to that,” Mal said, and rubbed his chin, thoughtful, as if he’d had a dozen fares to consider that day. “I’ve not been to Cecrops,” he said casually. “I wouldn’t mind heading to those parts for a bit. Why don’t you step in and we can discuss terms, Miss… ahh..?”

“Singh,” the woman said. “Arupta Singh.”

+++++

Shepherd Book returned to Serenity and walked slowly through the crowded cargo hold. A dozen sheep milled in a metal pen while two horses stamped in their paddocks. Six waist-high white plastic bins marked “medical supplies” stood next to approximately forty wooden crates in neat stacks. Across the bay were twenty-five or so large metal drums, and a pile of miscellaneous crates and boxes. He gave a bemused smile, and sought out Mal, who was going over the manifest with Arupta.

“Quite a collection you have here,” Book said.

“Yes,” Arupta agreed. “My employers have rather specific long-range plans regarding the terra-forming of Cecrops. There are a few more items I’m still looking for, but my leads tell me I should have them tomorrow.”

“Well, we’re gonna have to,” Mal said. “Serenity’s taking off sunset tomorrow, whether you have these things or not.”

Arupta shrugged, and looked at the manifest. “I suppose I could always send the bulk of these things by deep-space shot, hope for the best.”

“What’s in the drums?” Book asked.

“Meat protein biscuits,” Arupta said.

“My goodness,” Book said. “How many settlers are there?”

“Just my employers,” Arupta said. “The biscuits are for their dogs.”

Mal and Book gave one another looks. “Your employers must be well-off,” Book said guardedly, and Arupta gave an indelicate snort.

“They own their own planet,” she said. “I don’t think there’s an adequate description for exactly how ‘well-off’ they are.”

Mal looked back at the manifest. “A few of these things are somewhat… exotic,” he said. “I could direct you to some people who could… expedite their delivery. If you don’t mind working with some questionable types, that is.”

Arupta gave him an arch look. “Some would suggest I already was,” she said, “but if you’re willing to carry contraband, I’m willing to purchase it.”

Mal gave back a knowing grin. “I’m glad we understand one another,” he said.

+++++

“This will conclude our transfer, Captain,” Arupta said, as she turned over the manifest and a satisfyingly heavy bag of coin. A few yards away stood the three servants: a twitchy young man, a sullen, middle-aged laborer, and a woman who kept her face carefully expressionless. Arupta had given Mal their names, but he’d decided to wait until they actually showed an interest in interacting before he committed them to memory.

“They’re indentureds,” Arupta explained, as Mal showed them back to a storage area that had been converted into a temporary dorm. “I paid off the last five years of their debt for two years of service on Cecrops.”

“Good deal,” Mal said.

Arupta grunted. “You earn it, trust me,” she said. “But my employers reward loyal service.” She glanced back at the servants; she was clearly speaking for their benefit. “After two years as their housekeeper and cook, I was rewarded with enough money to retire in one of the core planets.”

Mal opened the hatch on the room where the servants were to stay. “Well, here we are,” he said with forced cheer. “We take off in an hour. I’d suggest you settle yourselves in for a long trip.”

+++++

Later, when dinner had been set out, Mal sent Kaylee to invite their passengers up to share in the bounty. Two minutes later, she ran, breathless, into the galley.

“They’re gone,” she said.

+++++

Mal looked at the empty dorm, the beds untouched. “When did they leave?” he asked.

“And why?” said Simon, who, along with the rest of the crew, had come to see the excitement for himself.

“Why’s the easy answer,” Zoe said quietly. “Their debt’d been paid, and by the time we found out they were gone, they could have been hours in any direction.”

“Beats two years on a rock at the edge of nowhere,” Wash concluded.

“They must have slipped out when we were doing the final lockdown,” Kaylee said.

Mal pounded his fist on the doorjamb. “Cao!” He turned back and started marching towards the cargo hold. “Zoe, get me the manifest,” he shouted over his shoulder. “We might as well have a complete account of the screw-up before we radio Cecrops.”

+++++

Mal sent a message to Cecrops apologizing for the loss of the servants, but was happy to report they had stolen no cargo. The message took several hours to travel, and it took another several hours for the reply to return. Mal was pleased to hear their employer, a Mr. Buckley, sounded reasonable and civilized.

“I suppose there’s nothing to be done for it,” he said. “We’ll just have to manage on our own until we can make other arrangements. We’ll see you soon, Captain.”

+++++

That had been eight days ago, and though the rest of his crew was managing to entertain themselves on the long trip out, Mal just wanted to be *doing* something. He kept finding himself returning to the cargo hold, even helping the crew care for the animals.

And so time passed, slowly.

+++++

They entered orbit around Cecrops, and Mal again contacted Mr. Buckley. The answer was immediate, this time, and they were also able to receive a visual transmission. He was younger than Mal would have guessed. He transmitted coordinates for a landing area a few miles from their homestead, and promised to meet them there.

They approached low, observing the progress Arupta had described. Most outer ring planets tended to look like giant farms, trees planted in rows and grouped by species, everything separated by fences, until the land resembled a patchwork quilt when seen from the air. But while here there were cultivated fields of vegetables, and pastures set aside for livestock, they were set among woods grown wild, and open plains.

Serenity touched down in a broad canyon, as the blue-white sun over Cecrops was just starting to go down. Mal, Jayne, and Zoe walked down the lowering ramp. Zoe breathed in deep. “Smell that sweet air,” she said. “I think it’s spring in this hemisphere.”

“Where are all the people?” Jayne said.

“There are only two,” Mal said, “but I would have expected at least one of them would have been here to meet us.”

Wash pulled past them on the mule, its cargo bed and cart filled with a sampling of the crates from the hold. He grinned at Zoe. “Going my way?” he asked her.

She grinned back and climbed in beside him.

Mal and Jayne observed the lack of room on the cart for passengers. “Where are we supposed to sit?” Jayne complained.

Wash pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. “Kaylee’s saddling the horses for you.”

Mal stomped back inside, Jayne following reluctantly. “I hate horses,” Jayne muttered.

It was full dark and they were a good two miles along the track to Buckley’s house when they met a horse-drawn cart driven by Buckley himself. Four long-limbed dogs loped alongside.

“Which of you is Captain Reynolds?” he called out.

Mal urged his horse forward. “I am,” he said, then, “we were expecting you to meet us at the landing site.”

Buckley gave a charming smile. “Yeah, well, sorry about that,” he said. “I underestimated my time a bit. But let me take those things back in my cart, and then I’ll meet you back at your ship in a half-hour.”

Mal looked at the pile of crates, considered the much larger pile plus the flock of sheep back at Serenity, and sighed.

“I’ll make it worth your while,” Buckley said, as though reading his mind.

+++++

He did. Serenity’s crew, anxious to get out and move around after such a long flight, had the hold unpacked and transferred to the barn before the sun rose. Even Inara came down from her shuttle to greet Mr. Buckley.

“Please, come up to the house,” Buckley told them. “We’ll make breakfast for you.”

The crew, who had taken note of the milk cows, fruit trees, and gardens that were close to the house and barn, all felt their stomachs begin to growl with the thought of real food.

Mal smiled. “Are you sure we won’t inconvenience your wife?” he said, and Buckley chuckled.

“I’ve no wife,” he said, and began to lead them towards the house. “But my freemate will welcome the company. He gets lonely with only me to talk to.” They crossed the lawn and approached the fine, large house with broad porches and verandas.

“Great, a couple of tong shing lian,” Jayne muttered, earning him a look from the two closest to him, Kaylee and Book.

“In fact,” Buckley went on, “he may be a bit stand-offish. He’s used to dealing with servants.”

They stepped into the house’s parlor, and Buckley lit some lanterns. The room was outfitted with elegant wood furniture, fine paintings, and various decorative objects. Several caused Simon to raise an eyebrow, and Mal and Zoe to exchange knowing looks; Arupta hadn’t exaggerated the men’s wealth.

They followed through to an enormous kitchen with a long wooden table. “Have a seat,” Buckley said. “I’ll go wake…” He broke off as he noticed another man standing in the doorway, and gave a fond, loving smile. “There you are,” he said gently. “This is the crew of the Serenity, the ship that brought our supplies.”

Mal got to his feet and extended one hand. “Captain Reynolds,” he said.

The other man stepped into the room. “Squire Hallohan,” he said. “Welcome to Cecrops.”

Mal gestured around the table, introducing the rest of his crew, then said, “you’ve a lovely planet, here.”

“Thank you,” Hallohan said.

Buckley, who was starting the stove and rummaging for pans and food, said, “I’m sure you and your crew must be worn out from your trip. And seeing as we… have no servants, we’ve more food than we need.”

The crew took their seats around the table, and Hallohan brought them a large basket of fresh oranges. They grabbed for the fruit, some with two hands.

“These are delicious,” Zoe said around a mouthful, “but I thought it was your spring season now.”

“It is,” Buckley said, “but the weather here ranges from pleasantly warm to oppressively hot, so we can grow year round.”

“It seems you’ve made your own paradise,” Shepherd Book said.

“We’ve tried,” Buckley said. “Its only disadvantage is its distance from the core planets. But we consider that an advantage from our perspective.”

Hallohan had moved back into the doorway that led to the rest of the house, and Buckley looked in his direction, concerned. “Sit down, love,” he said quietly. “I’ll have the breakfast done in no time.” Hallohan reluctantly sat at the head of the table, and Simon watched him, frowning.

“So, Captain Reynolds,” Buckley said brightly. “I’m sure you’ve had your share of adventures in your travels. Perhaps you could tell us of some of the wonders you’ve seen.”

“Well…” Mal said. “I’m not sure we’ve had what you’d call adventures, but I have seen some interesting sights…”

Encouraged by their host’s interest, they all were happy to talk about their travels while Buckley prepared them scrambled eggs with mushrooms and peppers, and thick slabs of well-aged steak. There were fried tomatoes, and coffee served in real china cups. At last he joined them at the table, looked around at their plates.

“You… River, is it? Is the food not to your taste?”

All turned to the girl whose food sat untouched, her hands folded primly while she glared at the table.

“River?” Simon said gently. “You have to eat your breakfast.”

Inara, who sat on River’s other side, touched her arm gently. “Aren’t you hungry, Jiang Li?” she said.

River didn’t look up, but started talking low and angry. “Just meat to him,” she said. “Wants it warm, but takes it cold. He’s shaking and crying for just one bite.” And here she snapped her teeth together.

Simon looked up at their hosts, who were regarding River with a horrified expression. “I’m sorry,” Simon said. “My sister… isn’t well. She has these episodes. It’s nothing to worry about.” He stood up and tried to urge River to her feet. “I’ll take her outside…”

But Hallohan had gotten up, himself. “Excuse me,” he said, and retreated back into the house.

Buckley gave Simon a rueful smile as he, too, got up. “I must apologize, too,” he said. “My freemate is also… not well, as you say. It would seem we all have our demons.” He gestured to the rest around the table. “Please, finish your meals,” he said, and followed his lover out.

+++++

Mal was resting in a wooden rocking chair when Buckley at last came out two hours later. Buckley slapped his thigh with one hand twice, and two dogs crept from under the porch to sit beside his chair, their tongues lolling from open mouths. It was now mid-day, and though the sun was oppressively bright, the verandas kept the house in shade, keeping it cool.

“I must apologize again, Captain,” Buckley said, and took a seat beside Mal. “We have lived in brutal times, and my freemate… regrets.”

“We all have regrets,” Mal said.

Buckley nodded and pulled a tobacco pouch and pipe out of his jacket pocket. He loaded the pipe, then struck a match and inhaled the smoke. “He loses himself,” he said quietly. “He has, what did your crewman call them? Episodes.”

“You know, Simon *is* a doctor,” Mal said. “He can be a snob, but he’s a fine physician. I’m sure he’d be happy to look at Squire Hallohan.”

“I’m afraid this isn’t a medical problem,” Buckley said, and gave a heavy sigh.

Mal looked at his host from the corner of his eye, saw the grim, faraway look there.

+++++

Zoe and Wash wandered through the woods near the house. The pine and maple trees that had been planted here had grown quickly, and they found a clearing in deep shade where little white flowers grew among the rocks. “It’s so beautiful here,” Zoe said.

Wash took his wife’s hand and kissed her palm gently. “It is, indeed,” he said.

Zoe sat down on a boulder. “And Mr. Buckley seems nice enough,” she said.

“Yeah, he’s an alright guy for a multi-gazillionaire,” Wash agreed.

Zoe looked sideways at her husband. “You know,” she said casually, “it wouldn’t be so bad to work here for a year or two. A little cooking, a little farming. Retire with the coin to buy a nice little patch of our own…”

Wash sat down heavily next to her. “Are you seriously thinking..?”

“You have to admit, it’s tempting,” she said.

“But Mal…”

“He can get by without us,” Zoe said. “He’d understand, sweetheart. We can’t fly around forever.”

Wash opened his mouth, but couldn’t put what he was thinking into words, and shut it again.

+++++

Simon took River into the kitchen garden behind the greenhouse, to an arbor bench overgrown with grape vines, and sat her down in the dusty shade. River looked into the distance, her eyes unfocused, while Simon focused his own gaze on her. “What did you see, River?” he said quietly. “What upset you so much?”

She ignored him.

+++++

Kaylee and Inara sat on a hillock of lush green grass between beds of tall red and yellow flowers. Inara was seated behind the young engineer, pulling her hair back into little braids, and twisting in little purple flowers that were growing in the grass. Book sat nearby on an iron garden chair, and Jayne leaned against a tree, chewing a stalk of grass.

“What are these flowers?” Kaylee said, twirling one of the little purple ones in her fingers. “They’re so tiny.”

“I don’t know them,” Inara said.

“They’re violets,” Book said. “On Earth-that-was, it was said they grew wild.”

“Our hosts certainly had an artistic foresight to think to introduce them here,” Inara said. “They give nothing but pleasure to the eye, and yet, their presence adds to the quality of life.”

“‘They toil not, nor do they spin,’” Book quoted.

“Bunch a’ damn foolishness,” Jayne muttered.

“I think they’re pretty,” Kaylee said.

“Could probably buy a whole ship for what they spent on a bunch of little weeds,” Jayne said.

+++++

Buckley took a deep drag on his pipe and blew out a stream of fragrant smoke, then dropped his hand to scratch one dog behind the ears. After several minutes, Mal said, “will your… be okay alone in there?”

Buckley smiled sadly. “He tends to sleep during the day when he’s like this,” he said. “His eyes are sensitive to the light.”

“Sounds like you’ve been through this before,” Mal said.

“Too many times.” Buckley sighed deeply. “I love my freemate very much,” he said. “And it kills me to see this happen to him. But I’ll do whatever it takes to bring him back.”

“Anything we can do to help?”

“Maybe. I’ll let you know, Captain.” He looked out across the garden to where Inara and Kaylee sat in the grass, and turned back to Mal with a thoughtful expression. “Did you say your crewmate was a Companion?”

+++++

“I’d do the same thing, if I had their kind of money,” Kaylee declared. “I’d have a beautiful house, and beautiful clothes, and I’d eat peaches every day, and fill my bedroom with flowers. What’s the point of having it if you can’t enjoy it?”

Inara stroked Kaylee’s hair fondly, but Jayne sneered at them both.

“Foolishness,” he repeated, and all looked at him. “Baubles and bits. Jewels and posies. More money than they could spend in twenty lifetimes, and they’re feeding good meat chips to their goddamn dogs.”

“And what would you spend it on?” Inara said. “I suppose Jayne, the great philanthropist, would found a home for widows and orphans. Open a few hospitals, and a school for wayward boys.”

Jayne looked offended. “I could think of better ways to spend it than… violets,” he snarled. “Any one of us could live like a king for years with one of those pretty gewgaws up in that house. But it doesn’t do that squire a fleabite’s bit of good. A planet’s-worth of money isn’t gonna stop him from going River.”

“Jayne Cobb!” Kaylee scolded. “That is a terrible thing to say!”

Jayne did look a little embarrassed at that, but recovered quickly. “What?” he said. “His little yanse lang can pretend that as long as he dresses up pretty and uses a knife and fork he’s not losing his marbles, but he is.”

“Maybe Mr. Buckley is trying to protect his lover,” Book said quietly. “Surround him with gardens, wooded glades, a restful, serene environment. Keep him calm, and the madness recedes.” He looked up towards the kitchen garden, where Simon and River sat together in the arbor, the doctor speaking quietly to his sister. “I think it’s admirable when folks sacrifice to help someone they love.”

+++++

Mal looked down at Inara, and it was a long moment before he spoke. “She is,” he affirmed. “Why do you ask?”

Buckley shrugged. “My freemate needs connection,” he said. “I can only give him so much.”

Mal frowned. “You’re welcome to talk to her,” he said. “She’s good, I can’t deny that.”

Buckley got to his feet. “I’m going to take care of him right now,” he said. “But bring your crew back tonight for dinner. Tell your Companion I’d like to speak to her.” And he went back into the house, his dogs at his heels.

“She isn’t mine,” Mal said to himself.

+++++

Kaylee borrowed a pretty frock from Inara for the dinner that night, and they all arrived to be greeted with the aroma of roasting lamb with rosemary. Buckley led them into his formal dining room where the table was set with fine linens and china and crystal.

“Please, sit down,” he invited. “Pour some wine. I’ll bring the food out soon.”

Simon lifted up one of the bottles that was chilling on the sideboard. “This is an excellent vintage,” he said as Buckley set a bowl of fresh salad on the table. “How did you ship it here?”

Buckley grinned. “You brought it here,” he said. “Those wooden crates carried wine and spirits.”

“Damn it,” Jayne muttered under his breath, earning him a look from Mal.

Book looked around the table. “Will your freemate be joining us?” he asked.

A look of pain crossed Buckley’s face. “Not tonight,” he said, and retreated to the kitchen for bread and butter.

+++++

After dinner all of the crew, save Inara, returned to Serenity carrying gifts of wine and fresh fruit from their host.

“Their house is so amazing,” Kaylee gushed. “I believe that’s the finest table I’ve ever sat down to.”

“That dinnerware was antique,” Zoe said. “I’d guess it came from Earth-that-was.”

Everyone looked impressed at that, but Jayne gave a derisive snort. “More than they’ll ever need,” he said. “Bet they haven’t taken it out of the drawer in years.”

“Don’t be bitter,” Wash said. “How often do you get to live like a plutocrat?”

Mal, lagging behind, cast a last glance at the house, imagining Inara with their host, discussing terms of her “connection” with the Squire.

+++++

Mal sat on the silent bridge, the rest of the crew having gone to their bunks, expecting another sleepless night, so he was genuinely startled when he heard the door opening behind him, and his gun was in his hand without him consciously pulling it out. Inara stood framed in the doorway, her hair loose and her gauzy wrap clutched tightly around her shoulders.

“I didn’t expect you back so early,” Mal said calmly, easing his weapon back into its holster.

“I decided to decline Mr. Buckley’s offer,” Inara said, crossing to the control panel and leaning one hip against it.

“That’s not like you,” Mal said with mock concern. “I mean, you’ve heard the expression ‘filthy rich?’ These guys are totally disgusting.”

“There are some things no amount of money can buy,” Inara said.

Mal frowned. “What did they want?”

Inara gave him an indulgent smile. “I am still bound to keep their confidence, Captain,” she said. “Even if I don’t contract with someone, a potential customer must be assured he or she may speak to a Companion with the assurance of a certain… discretion.” Then her smile dropped away. “But, Mal… I’d make sure no one left the ship tonight.”

Mal nodded. “Everyone’s in,” he said. “I’ll close the hatch.” He stood and Inara caught his hand.

“Please check, Mal,” she said. “It’s important.”

+++++

Ten minutes later the entire crew, save one, had gathered in the hold. Mal glared from one face to another.

“Where the cao is Jayne?” he demanded.

+++++

Jayne slid his hand under the window frame he had cracked open at dinner and inched it slowly up, then climbed into the darkened dining room. He stood motionless, barely breathing, listening for any sound in the great house. As his eyes adjusted, he could see that the dinner dishes had not even been cleared, and he gave a frown of disgust.

He crept quietly through the house, exiting behind the kitchen into the greenhouse. Here there were rows of painted flowerpots where delicate flower seedlings were growing. Jayne squinted and read some of the hand-lettered sticks that gave the plants’ names: Poppy, Iris, Hellebore, Lily, Tulip.

“Iris and Lily are girls’ names,” he reasoned to himself. “So they must be the prettier ones.”

“They’ll never even miss them,” he muttered under his breath, and moved to one of the tables. A blue pot marked “Lily” showed three spikes of green pushing through the loamy soil, and a foot further along was a white pot that said “Iris” with a tall, slender stem and leaves.

“There we are,” Jayne said quietly, reaching for them. Then he heard a low growl behind him.

Jayne turned to see a figure looming in the doorway. He held up his hands and took a step backwards. “Squire Hallohan,” he said. “This isn’t what it looks like…”

“Thief,” Hallohan said, his voice a low whisper. “Pirate.”

Jayne took another step back. “Just give me a minute to explain…”

Hallohan stepped into a pale, bluish stripe of moonlight, and Jayne’s breath hitched in his throat. “What the hell..?”

And Hallohan attacked.

+++++

“Zoe, come with me,” Mal said, heading for the mule. “Wash, you close everyone inside as soon as we…”

“Mal, take Simon with you,” Inara said.

“I don’t think…”

“Trust me, Mal,” Inara said. “If Jayne is caught inside their house…”

“Doc, you’re with us, too,” Mal said.

Simon looked from Mal to Inara, then caught River’s eye. She gave a tiny nod. “Just let me get my bag,” he said, running for the medical bay.

+++++

Hallohan’s shoulder caught Jayne’s solar-plexus, and the momentum carried them both back through a window, shattering the glass and frame. They rolled together across the wide sill, then off the edge and down into the grass. Jayne pushed himself away from the other man, and the moonlight fell full across Hallohan’s face.

It was only a parody of human features, forehead and brows ridged and misshapen over glowing yellow eyes, lips curled back from razor-sharp teeth.

“What the hell are you?” Jayne shouted.

As an answer, Hallohan fell on him.

+++++

“Head for the house,” Zoe said as the mule bounced along the dirt track that led from Serenity’s landing site to the plantation.

“I swear to you,” Mal said, “if Jayne doesn’t get himself killed, I’m gonna kick his sorry ass all the way back to Persephone and throw it off my ship.”

“You know,” Simon said, “some people might feel compelled to point out that Jayne isn’t doing anything the rest of us haven’t either done or condoned in the recent past.” At an angry glare from Zoe, he added, “but I would never do that.”

+++++

Jayne clasped his fists together and brought them down like a sledgehammer across Hallohan’s back. The other man howled and arched back, and Jayne wriggled out from under him and got to his feet.

“Get away from me,” Jayne shouted, unholstering his sidearm and emptying three bullets into Hallohan’s torso.

“Don’t you shoot me again,” Hallohan snarled, only barely showing pain.

“Oh, shit,” Jayne said, and turned and ran for the barn.

In their kennel, the dogs had begun a terrible barking and howling, a horrible roar of noise after the usual silence of the night. Then the front door of the great house slammed open and Buckley ran onto the porch. “No, love! Stop!” he shouted, then followed them across the lawn.

+++++

From the road, Mal, Zoe, and Simon saw the three figures cross the broad lawn and enter the barn, and Mal steered the mule straight for it.

“That stupid zhu tou,” Mal said.

+++++

Jayne entered the barn, and ran down the center aisle between the animal pens. He swung open the wooden gates as he went, hoping to block Hallohan’s progress, then ascended the wooden ladder to the hayloft. At the top, he pulled the ladder up after him, and hid behind a pile of hay. The animals, disturbed from their sleep, began to bleat and bellow.

He watched as Hallohan entered the barn and paused just inside the door, feeling every hair stand on end as the livestock went silent. Hallohan lifted his head and scented the air. “I smell you, pirate,” Hallohan said. “Nothing on this planet stinks like you do.”

He proceeded down the aisle, easily avoiding the open gates. He stopped just below the hayloft, and Jayne watched in disbelieving horror as he jumped the twelve feet straight up from the floor and landed neatly at the edge of the loft platform.

“Oh, shit,” Jayne repeated, and Hallohan lifted him effortlessly and drove his fangs into Jayne’s throat.

“Angel! Angel!” he heard Buckley’s voice shouting from the door. And then everything went dark.

+++++

Mal, Zoe, and Simon entered the barn in time to see Buckley leap straight up from the floor into the hayloft. Before they could completely process that sight they saw Hallohan thrown off the edge and spinning down to the floor, hitting the packed dirt below. They ran to the prone body, Simon skidding down beside it and touching the throat.

“He’s dead,” he said gravely, and Mal and Zoe looked up into the loft.

Buckley had lowered the ladder now, and the others watched as the smallish man descended it with Jayne’s unconscious form slung over one shoulder.

Mal took a step closer. “What are you?” he demanded.

“We haven’t time for this, Captain,” Buckley said. “Your crewman needs immediate attention.” He lowered Jayne gently to the floor and pointed at Simon. “Doctor, open one of those medical supply chests and get some Hemosyn. Hurry!”

Simon turned back to the row of white bins. “Which one?” he said.

“Any of them,” Buckley snapped, and Simon undid the latch on the closest one.

Inside the supply chest, where he’d expected a jumble of medicines, equipment, and other materials, he found only stacks and stacks of Hemosyn bags: artificial blood.

Simon pulled out one unit and unzipped the barrier that separated the solid and liquid components. He shook the bag to combine them, “activating” the solution, and spooled out the contained tubing and needle. Pausing only to swab Jayne’s arm with antiseptic, he jammed the needle into a vein and stuck down the adhesive tabs. “Hold this,” he said to Zoe, who took the offered bag. “Don’t let the needle pull out.”

He repeated the process three more times, until Zoe and Mal each stood over Jayne with a bag in each hand, then turned his attention to Buckley, who sat nearby, cradling his freemate gently in his arms.

“Wake up, Angel,” he crooned softly, stroking his delicate fingers over the Squire’s face and through his long hair.

Simon put one hand on Buckley’s shoulder. “Mr. Buckley,” he said. “I’m afraid Squire Hallohan is…”

And the Squire’s eyes fluttered open. “Spike…” he whispered.

“Yes, it’s me. I’m here,” Buckley answered.

“I don’t believe it,” Simon said.

Jayne, groggy but conscious, turned his head to look at the two lovers. “Goddamn tong shing lian,” he muttered, and slipped into unconsciousness once more.

Simon approached the two men cautiously. “He was… I felt his throat, Mr. Buckley. There was no pulse.”

Buckley looked up at the young doctor and grinned. “Still isn’t, I’d wager,” he said. “In fact, the Squire hasn’t had a regular heartbeat in eight centuries.”

Simon paled. “That isn’t possible.”

“What are you?” Mal shouted. “What the hell is going on?”

Buckley’s smiled turned sad. “The word for what we are has been lost to time, Captain Reynolds,” he said. “But we were men, once.”

Hallohan raised one hand to Buckley’s cheek, turned his face back down to him. “How long was I out this time?” he said.

“Just a day, Angel, love,” Buckley said.

“We should get back to the ship, Captain,” Zoe said quietly, and Simon returned to check Jayne’s vitals.

“Lay the Hemosyn packs on his chest,” he said, “and load him onto the mule.”

“I’m coming back tomorrow,” Mal said. “I’ll want answers then.”

Buckley nodded. “I’ll be waiting, Captain.”

+++++

“You’re still alive!” Kaylee shouted, running down the metal steps.

“Heaven be praised,” Shepherd Book said.

Mal vaulted out of the mule and pointed at his pilot. “Wash, help the good doctor bring a stretcher down from the sick bay, and get this stupid shen jing bing up into a bed. Everybody else get inside. No one goes out until after sunrise.” He moved to the lever to raise Serenity’s gates. “On second thought, no one goes out without my permission, period,” he said.

+++++

Inara was waiting for Mal in the galley, and she wordlessly served him a cup of hot broth.

“How much do you usually charge for cooking?” he asked her. “It might be a little steep for me.”

Inara ignored the jibe. “I was afraid they’d kill you,” she said, taking a seat across from him.

There was a long moment of silence, then, “what did they ask of you?” Mal said.

“A Companion is bound to keep…”

“I’m not asking a Companion,” Mal said sharply, then immediately softened. “I’m asking a friend.”

Inara nodded. “As it was explained to me,” she began primly, “our hosts once were men. Then many centuries ago they were changed. Back on earth that was.”

Mal started. “But that’s…”

“I’m only telling you what I was told,” Inara said, then continued, “they became ageless, stronger, but at a price. The light of the sun will kill them, and they must feed on blood to survive.”

Mal hissed, pieces coming together to form a full picture.

“Normally they drink Hemosyn, or from their animals, but from time to time one of them becomes consumed by the need for human blood.” Inara paused, thoughtfully, then added, “Mr. Buckley thought it might be because of their great age, or because they’ve left the planet of their birth, or maybe the Hemosyn isn’t quite close enough, but he didn’t know for sure.” She sighed, and sipped from her cup.

“So, they wanted you to…” Mal prompted.

“Yes,” Inara confirmed. “Mr. Buckley promised the circumstances would be controlled, that Squire Hallohan would only need a little bit, that they’d administer Hemosyn right away.” She paused again, then said, “I did not feel that was an acceptable risk.”

“I’m glad…” Mal began, then stopped.

Both looked awkwardly into their cups, and spoke no further.

+++++

Mal walked up to the manor house, but did not venture into the shadows under the veranda, just stood on the front path and shouted for his hosts. The front door opened and they stood in the deeper shadows of the doorway, looking as though they had been pulled, half-awake, from their bed.

And seeing them like this, with the gentlemanly polish wiped away, their long hair loose and tangled, clothes rumpled and undone, Mal knew that they were not human. Their skin was too white, too smooth, their eyes too reflective of the light, their expressions those of some cunning animal. They were more like their dogs than men.

“I wanted to tell you that Serenity will be leaving directly,” Mal announced. “Our business with you is done.”

“Is your crewman well, Captain?” Squire Hallohan asked, and Mal nodded.

“Our doctor says he will make a full recovery,” Mal said.

“I apologize for the circumstances,” Buckley said. “But I am grateful, too.”

Mal suppressed a shudder, but he had come to satisfy his curiosity, so he spoke quickly. “You’ve come a long way from Earth-that-was,” he said. “You’ve gone far beyond even the most outlying settlements. But we both know humankind will expand to fill whatever worlds it can, no matter how far.”

Buckley and Hallohan both gave slow nods of agreement.

“You can’t hide out here alone forever,” Mal said. “What will you do when the pioneers push out?”

“Humankind has forgotten our name, Captain Reynolds,” Hallohan said. “We’ve hidden long enough for even the whispers of our existence to die. When the settlers do come, we’ll only be the mysterious squires on the hill. Odd, perhaps, maybe even mad, but only men like any other.”

“No human has died by our hands to feed our hunger for half a millennia,” Buckley said. “I assure you it is our intention that none ever will. My freemate would not have taken your crewman if the madness were not on him, and we intend to make certain we are not without willing donors again.”

“Willing…”

“We’ve hired ten servants from Iolus,” Buckley explained. “A former servant has recruited them for us. They wish to resettle, start homesteads of their own. Of course, they have been made aware of us, and our strange form of ‘anemia,’ and wish to help however they can. In return, they are given a new start on a pristine world.”

Mal took an unconscious step back from the house.

“I’m truly sorry for what happened to your crewman,” Hallohan said. “But I’m glad he will recover.”

Mal felt his hands clench in anger. “That’s it? Just an apology?”

“I’ve been apologizing for 800 years, Captain,” Hallohan said. “If you have a better option, I would be most grateful to hear it.”

Buckley touched his lover’s shoulder, drew him into the house’s cool darkness, then turned back to Mal. “You said yourself, Captain: We all have regrets. When you’ve paid for yours ten lifetimes, we can talk.”

+++++

Mal stared into the darkness between Cecrops and the outer ring planets, picking the pinprick of light that was Persephone out of the cluster of similar pinpricks. He thought about the Squire and his freemate, these ancient monsters trying to make a place in a universe that had none for them. About their long exile under the shadow of repentance, and the world they had created in beauty as payment for what they must eventually take.

He thought about himself, his own regrets, and briefly considered how differently he might bear this burden if death were not an ever-present threat, or even inevitable, and realized he could not condemn these creatures. They did what they could to improve their pinprick in the void, just as he did.

It was all they could do.

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so it was a surprise cross-over. PLEASE forgive me, but I didn't want to spoil the surprise. Comments and kudos make me very happy. 
> 
> A few notes on the Chinese:  
> I had to rely on the expertise of others for the Chinese slang that the characters use, but I’m sure my usage of it leaves something to be desired. I blame the way the dialect will evolve in the coming 500 years. I asked a Chinese-American friend for a derogatory word for a male homosexual, and according to her, two Mandarin speakers agree: use "tong shing lian" meaning "same sex love" for your insult. Jayne does, twice. According to a “baby naming” website, Jiang Li means “Beautiful River.” 
> 
> The rest come from insultmonger.com-
> 
> Cao – Fuck  
> Yanse lang – Male whore  
> Zhu tou – Pig head  
> Shen jing bing – Lunatic


End file.
